Congressional Research Service Reports - 488 Matching Results

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The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings

Description: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is built on a structure conceived in the 1950's when over-the-air broadcasting was the best-available technology for widely disseminating emergency alerts. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with the Association of Public Television Stations, is implementing a program that will disseminate national alert messages over digital broadcast airwaves, using satellite and public TV broadcast towers. This program is referred to as the Integrated Public A… more
Date: June 26, 2009
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Communications: The Future of 911

Description: Today's 911 system is built on an infrastructure of analog technology that does not support many of the features that most Americans expect are part of an emergency response. Recognizing the importance of providing effective 911 service, Congress has passed three major bills supporting improvements in the handling of 911 emergency calls. This report includes a detailed overview of the 911 system, as well as related legislation and policies currently in consideration by Congress.
Date: November 21, 2008
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Communications: The Future of 911

Description: Today's 911 system is built on an infrastructure of analog technology that does not support many of the features that most Americans expect are part of an emergency response. Efforts to splice newer, digital technologies onto this aging infrastructure have created points of failure where a call can be dropped or misdirected, sometimes with tragic consequences. This report discusses efforts to modernize and update 911 emergency response technology, the funding for such efforts, and related piece… more
Date: June 16, 2009
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings

Description: This report discusses the mainstays of the U.S. capacity to issue warnings: the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which relies primarily on broadcasting media, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio All-Hazards Network.
Date: January 26, 2009
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings

Description: This report discusses the mainstays of the U.S. capacity to issue warnings: the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which relies primarily on broadcasting media, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio All-Hazards Network.
Date: August 14, 2009
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA's Community Disaster Loan Program

Description: Areas struck by disasters, both natural and man-made, often experience a destruction of property and decline in economic activity. Tax collections for affected local governments may fall substantially as a consequence. At the same time, the financial and public service obligations of local governments persist and may actually increase. The unexpected loss of revenue coupled with the increased financial needs for responding to a natural disaster or terrorist act may lead local governments to see… more
Date: February 21, 2006
Creator: Noto, Nonna A. & Maguire, Steven
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act (the "SAFER Act") was enacted by the 108th Congress as part of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act. This report describes the SAFER Act in brief and discusses possible budgetary modifications to the SAFER Act that are being considered due to the recent economic downturn.
Date: June 23, 2009
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financing Recovery from Large-Scale Natural Disasters

Description: Two important issues before Congress are (1) securing the nation's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover/rebuild from natural catastrophe events, and (2) determining whether and how the federal government should intervene in catastrophe insurance markets. This report focuses on this issue at length, taking into consideration the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2004 and 2005; a sequence of tornadoes, wildfire, earthquakes, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, and the 2008 Midwestern floods; and the fi… more
Date: November 18, 2008
Creator: King, Rawle O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financing Recovery from Large-Scale Natural Disasters

Description: This report provides an analysis of the challenges facing property and casualty insurance and reinsurance companies in financing large-scale natural disasters, particularly during financial market turmoil.
Date: February 9, 2009
Creator: King, Rawle O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program: Preparing for the "Big One"

Description: There is general agreement that damaging earthquakes will occur in the United States in the next few decades, likely causing dozens of deaths and tens of billions of dollars in losses. They cannot be prevented, and, thus far, cannot be predicted. Whether or not an earthquake prediction or earthquake warning is issued, public awareness of earthquake hazards is important. This report reviews the geologic background of earthquakes and seismic hazards in regions across the United States, describes … more
Date: February 23, 2000
Creator: Mielke, James E
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Public Safety Communications Policy

Description: Since September 11, 2001, the effectiveness of America's communications capabilities in support of the information needs of first responders and other public safety workers has been a matter of concern to Congress. Most public safety advocates consider that the communications failures following the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina demonstrate that there is much still to be done to provide the United States with adequate communications capabilities in emergencies. This report explores several piec… more
Date: July 24, 2006
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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An Emergency Communications Safety Net: Integrating 911 and Other Services

Description: The present capability and future effectiveness of America's network of emergency telecommunications services are among the issues under review by Congress and other entities. As technologies that can support 911 improve, many are seeing the possibility of integrating 911 into a wider safety net of emergency communications and alerts. One of the intents of Congress in passing the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, and of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in impleme… more
Date: June 12, 2006
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hurricane Katrina: DOD Disaster Response

Description: No Description Available.
Date: September 19, 2005
Creator: Bowman, Steven R.; Kapp, Lawrence & Belasco, Amy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Hurricane Katrina Relief

Description: This CRS report summarizes federal disaster assistance funding legislation in the 109th Congress and presents some information on federal expenditures and obligations for disaster recovery activities.
Date: August 22, 2006
Creator: Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Elections in States Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Description: The aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita created staggering problems and challenging conditions for the people of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as for the state and local governments there. Many problems were immediately apparent, whereas others that involved ongoing government functions, such as elections, were less obvious at first. This report discusses the challenge of running elections in the many affected communities.
Date: May 4, 2006
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J. & Fischer, Eric A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Disaster Mitigation Assistance Bills in the 106th Congress: Comparison of Provisions

Description: The Administration initiative to shift federal emergency management policy away from a "response and recovery" emphasis has generated little congressional controversy, although some have raised concerns about the cost effectiveness of implementing a mitigation strategy. Greater attention, it is generally argued, should be given to mitigation (loss reduction) efforts before disasters occur in order to reduce future losses. Legislation (H.R. 707, S. 1691) pending before the 106th Congress would a… more
Date: May 5, 2000
Creator: Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Hurricane Katrina Relief

Description: In response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, the 109th Congress enacted two FY2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bills, which together provided $62.3 billion for emergency response and recovery needs. This CRS report summarizes federal disaster assistance funding legislation in the 109th Congress and presents some information on federal expenditures and obligations for disaster recovery activities.
Date: August 22, 2006
Creator: Bea, Keith
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hurricanes and Disaster Risk Financing Through Insurance: Challenges and Policy Options

Description: The U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Island are exposed to relatively high levels of risk from hurricanes and tropical storms. The rapid expansion of the U.S. population into areas that are susceptible to hurricanes has placed millions of people and new areas of economic activity in harm’s way. To address the financial and economic effects of such risks, households and businesses have relied on private insurance, state-sponsored insurance… more
Date: March 25, 2005
Creator: King, Rawle O.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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